Ruth Hunter Allen Furr died on October 17, 2006, at the North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo, Mississippi. Mrs. Furr was born on March 20, 1921, in the Berlin Community, Marshall County, Tennessee. She graduated from Marshall County High School, Lewisburg, TN. She received her B.S. from Middle Tennessee State University, and her M.A. from the University of Mississippi. She taught music and elementary education for approximately 40 years in various schools in North Mississippi. She was a life long member of the United Methodist Church. She was active in the music programs of the church since a youth both singing and playing instruments. As an active member of the United Methodist Women, she served many offices both in the local churches in the district and in the former North MS conference of the United Methodist Church. She served as the secretary of the first board of the Christian Social Concerns of the North Mississippi Conference of the United Methodist Church. She was active in Federated Women's Club in Calhoun City and Booneville; a former member of AAUW in Blue Mountain and Tupelo; a music club in Corinth and Fortnightly Musicale in Tupelo; and in Tupelo she volunteered at North Mississippi Behavioral Health and for Friends of the Lee County Library. At First United Methodist Church, where she was a member, she served in Wesley Fellowship Class, Older Adult Fellowship, Road Runners, Member Care Committee, the former Early Bird Choir, and the Discovery Circle of the UMW. A graveside service will be held at 1:30 p.m. today, October 18, 2006, at Tupelo Memorial Park with Reverend Shannon Johnston officiating. A Service of Death and Resurrection will be held at 2 p.m. today, Wednesday, October 18, 2006, at First United Methodist Church in Tupelo with the Reverend Andy Ray, Reverend Raigan Miskelly, and Reverend Terri Armstrong officiating. A reception will follow the service in the Gathering Room of the Church. Holland-Harris Funeral Directors is in charge of the arrangements. She was predeceased by her parents, Ruth Hunter and William Harris Allen, and her brothers, Thomas Hunter Allen and Harry Hunter Allen. She is survived by her husband, E.S. Furr of Tupelo; her son, Stanley Allen Furr (Stan) and his wife Lynda Rowland-Furr of Tupelo; her daughter, Anna Carol Furr and her husband Cecil Terry Dexter of Jackson; her sister-in-law, Mrs. Catherine Allen; her cousins, Mrs. Sara Jones and Mrs. Margaret Jordan, all of Lewisburg, Tennessee; three nephews, two nieces, four great-nephews, and three great nieces, two step-grandchildren, and six step-great-grandchildren. Honorary pallbearers will be the Wesley Sunday School Class and the Discovery Circle of the UMW. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hunger Relief, UMCOR, c/o First United Methodist Church, PO Box 854, Tupelo, MS 38802. Holland-Harris Funeral Directors Tupelo, MS662-840-5000.
Published in The Commercial Appeal on 10/18/2006